The lines outside of the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture show no signs of dissipating, with online ticket reservations secured through January 2017. For those who wish to get a sneak peek or even relive the experience afterwards, a new museum app may be just the solution.
Designed by Clearly Innovative (CI), one of the Washington area’s leading digital and business solutions companies, the official mobile app for the Smithsonian’s’ new museum boasts English, French, and Spanish capabilities and stellar reviews among users.
History app for the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture proves to be beneficial to visitors. (Courtesy Image)
Twyla Porter, a Detroit tourist visiting the museum told the AFRO that after downloading the app on iTunes to her phone, she was able to plot her visit before ever reaching the District. After standing in line for nearly an hour, the advanced planning proved beneficial.
“Using the app was almost like having a preview of some of the exhibits before arriving, which was pretty cool,” Porter said.
While the app does not duplicate the actual visitation experience, its designers believe it provides information about exhibits and key features of the museum’s location and its architecture, as well as sections designed as social media platforms, including access to the 11 constant exhibitions, an area for children and family-oriented activities, stories about the sites surrounding the museum, and a multimedia area where users can view video clips and ephemera related to various exhibits.
“We are proud, honored and excited to be working with Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on a mobile solution for the museum,” Clearly Innovative CEO and Founder Aaron Saunders said in a release. “As an African-American owner of a D.C.-based technology company, I could not have dreamed of a more meaningful project to be a part of #ApeoplesJourney.”
Darryl Williams and his wife, Carrie, drove from Chester, Penn. to the museum and downloaded the app after hearing about it outside the museum. Using the Google version of the app, Williams said he found it most useful after viewing several exhibits and wanting additional information about them.
“The exhibits are phenomenal and I think that like a lot of visitors, we were slightly overwhelmed by the whole experience. The app made it easier for me to regain some of that experience without walking out of the museum with a handful of brochures,” Williams told the AFRO. “My wife hates using phones and tablets for information, so she was happy to stick with the printed material, but for my purposes, the app, help plant the memories a bit deeper.”
